Sponsor a Family Support Worker for Sick Children

I’ve been working for Rainbow Trust as a Family Support Worker for five years and I love making a difference in people’s lives.  Family Support Workers work with up to 25 families with a seriously ill child, at any one time, providing help with whatever they need. Each family is unique, so the support we offer is different for each one.  Our support is flexible and understanding. Our Family Support Workers work with families to help them cope in extreme and uncertain situations, so that they do not have to cope alone.

I support families by taking them to the hospital so they don’t have to worry about travelling with a sick child on public transport or about traffic and finding parking. All of these little things add up, especially when you’re so worried about your sick little one.

I spend time with families on the ward - appointments can take all day; they frequently get pushed back or cancelled without notice. It’s hard for parents – they worry about what their child is about to go through and often need a sensitive friend to keep them feeling positive.  

I also spend dedicated time with siblings at the hospital, to keep them entertained. I can take them to the playroom or sit with them while they do their homework, away from the bustle of the wards. One of the mums I support is seriously ill herself so I help with carrying things and can give her a break by spending time with her sick teenage son. She’s already tired being on chemotherapy herself, so having me there to help makes a big difference.

I also provide emotional support to parents, which gives them a chance to talk about how they are coping. Single dads are particularly grateful for the support I can give them. Having another man to talk to really helps, as I have a better understanding of what they are going through. For two parent families, dads take comfort knowing that there is someone to support mum and the children while dad has to go out to work.

Many family stories stay with me and one that I have never forgotten was a family whose four year little boy was told there was nothing the doctors could do for him. His parents were told they’d have to turn his life support machines off. I watched them struggle with the idea of choosing to let their child die. They couldn’t do it and I am so happy to say, he is now a happy and healthy little eight year old. Children are so strong, even when they seem to have nothing left to fight with.

I love hearing things like that.  I love being a part of that.